Potentially preventable complications
Incidence of delirium, urinary tract infections, pneumonia, pressure injuries and in-hospital falls that were reported to occur during a hospitalisation were explored because they are potentially preventable and relevant to people living with dementia (Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care 2022). Information on the codes used to derive these conditions is provided in the Technical notes.
Potentially preventable complications were not common, affecting less than 4% of people living with dementia who were hospitalised. Delirium, urinary tract infections and pneumonia were more commonly reported compared with pressure injuries or in-hospital falls.
People who transitioned to residential aged care and community-dwellers who died were more likely to have a potentially preventable complication reported during their hospitalisation compared with community-dwellers, aged care residents and aged care residents who died (Figure 10 and Table S1.13).
Figure 10 Proportion of people living with dementia with a potentially preventable complication reported during their first hospitalisation, by change in usual residence or mortality within 7-days of discharge
Source: AIHW NIHSI 2018–19, analysis of NIHSI.
References
Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care (2022) Hospital-acquired complications specifications V3.1 - April 2022 (12th edition).